Direction-signal for vehicles.



I. F, OMALLEY.

DIREC'HON SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLlCAIION FILED MAY 8. 1911.

1 276 563, Psi-tented Aug. 20,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. F OMALLEY. DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR V E I-IIGLES. Y APPLICATION FILED MAY 8(1'911. 1 276 563 Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

2SIIEETSSHEET 2.

JOHN F. OMALLEY, 0F GENEVA, NEW YORK.

DIRECTION-SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed May 8, 1917. Serial No. 167,238.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it/known that I, JOHN F. 'OMALLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction'Signals for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signal devices, particularly to signal devices for vehicles and has for its object the provision of a novel form of signal adapted to be secured upon the front and also the rear of a motor vehicle in order that the driver may indicate to following and approaching vehicles. and also .traiiic officers an intended change in direction or a stop. i r

An important object is the provision of a device of this character which is electromagnetically operated, and controlled by a switch located upon or near the steering column Within convenient reach of the driver.

Another object is the provision of a signal device so constructed that when set to'indicate an intended change in direction it will remain fixed until the control switch is moved by the operator, thus avoiding the necessity of manually holding any movable parts stationary to maintain the signal at the proper indication.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character embodying an in candescent lamp to render the signal visible at night, the control switch and electric circuit being so arranged that the lamp does not become lighted until the control switch is moved to indicate a change'in direction, the advantage being that the sudden illumination of the signal dial will attract attention in becoming suddenly conspicuous.

Further objects and advantages such as compactness, comparative cheapness and general efficiency will become apparent during the course of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a conventional side elevation of an automobile, showing my signal applied to the front and rear thereof,

Fig.2 is a face view of the signal,

F ig. 3 is a view taken through the casing back of the dial,

Fig. 4; is a vertical sectional View,

1 edge to serve as an abutment for wall of the casing;

gig. 5 is a plan view of the control switch, an

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates my signal device as a Whole, supported upon suitable brackets 2 at the front and rear of an automobile, at any convenient or suitable location, as shown in Fig. 1. -As the front and rear devices are identical, a detailed description of one will sufiice to bring out the invention fully.

The device comprises a casing 3, preferably of cylindrical shape and of any desired material, having a shoulder 4 at its outer a dial 5 formed of white, translucent glass, and also having a flange 6 for the retention of a transparent glass cover 7 spaced from the dial 5 by suitable packing 8. The well known type of locking rim 9 is engaged upon the edge of the casing to retain the glass cover 7 in place.

A shaft 10 is journaled centrally of the casing and carries at its outer end an indicator 0r pointer 11 preferably in the shape of an arrow, formed of light-weight mate rial and painted a dark color to be conspicuous in front ofthe dial. Adjacent the rear wall of the casing the shaft also carries a pinion 12. p

In order that the arrow 11 may be moved to point to different legends, fS meaning stop, L meaning left'and R meaning right, provided at the bottom and sides of the'dial, respectively, I provide a shaft 13 journaled within a frame 14 secured upon and insulated from the back This shaft carries a gear 15 meshing with the pinion 12 on the arrow shaft 10. A pin 16 projects from the gear 15 and has secured thereto a-spring 17 which has its other end fastened to a post or eye 18. This spring normally holds the gearin such a position that the arrow 11 points downwardly, indicating no intended change in the direction of the vehicle, and also returns the arrow to this position after 'a signal has been given and a change completed.

In order that the gear 15 may be moved to actuate the arrow, I provide electro-magminals of the lamps 87 by wires -with each other by a wire 53 nets 19, and 21 mounted in suitable brackets secured upon the baclr wall of the casing. The magnets have associated therewith armatures 23, 2d and 25 respectively which arellexibly connected with the brackets 22 by springs 26. Pivotally connected with the armature 23 at the point '2'? is a rod 28 which has its other end slidably connected with a pin 29 projecting from the gear 15. The armature 2% has pivotally connected therewith at the point 30 a rod 31 which has its other end slidably connected with the pin 29 also. Similarly, the armature 25 has pivotally secured thereto at the point 32 a rod 33 which has its other end slidably connected with the pin 16. The slidable connections are to prevent retrograde movement ofthe other armatures when any one armature is actuated.

A contact 3% ofsuitable material is disposed within the casing and is supported by a post 35 from which it is insulated. A movable contact 35 is secured to the gear 15 and is in constant contact with the member 3%, over which it travels as the gear 15 is ro tated. An incandescent lamp 3'? is provided and secured within a socket 38 at the top portion of the casing.

The control switch 89, located upon or near the steering column as found most convenient, comprises a switch arm l0 adapted to be moved into engagement with any one of a plurality of contact buttons 41, iiland which are disposed at the right, bottom and left, respectively, of the switch body, corresponding to intended changes in direction of the vehicle. comprises an arm as adapted to be moved into engagement with a contact button 15 for controlling the energization of the incandescent lamps 37.

The electric circuit is as follows: The source of current ad which may be dry cells or the storage battery commonly provided upon modern motor vehicles is connected with the switch arm 4:0 by a wire The contact button ll is connected with the magnets Qlin the casings at the front and rear of the vehicle by a wire 4:8. connected with the magnets 19 by a wire 49, and the contact button 43 is connected with the magnets 20 by a wire 50. A wire 51 is connected to one terminal of one of the lamps 87 and hasits other end connected with a terminal of the other lamp, a wire 52 being connected with-the wire 51 and return ing to the source of current l6. The magnets 19, 20 and 21 are connected with the wire 51. The contacts 8% are connected which is also connected with the switch arm by a wire 5%. The frames M, and consequently the contacts 36 are connected with the other ter- The switch further:

The button a2 is .swit'ch arm et l is moved button is connected with the wire 53 by a wire 56.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that the driver wishes to turn to the right, he will grasp the switch arm 40 and move it into contact with the button d1, whereupon current will flow from the source at, to the arm lO, button ll, through the wire 48, magnets 21, and back to the source of currentthrough the wires 51 and 52. This energization of the magnets "21 will cause the armatures 2 5 to be attracted toward the cores of the magnets, pulling upon the rods 33 and rotating the gears 15 through a small arc, this movement being amplified and transmitted to the arrow shafts by the pinions 12. The arrows will then be rotated through an arc of ninety degrees, pointing to the legends, R. The arrows will remain in this position until the switch arm 40 is disengaged from the button all. If it is desired to turn to the left, the switch arm 40 will be moved into the contact with the button 463, whereupon current will flow from the source so, through the arm to, button a3, wire 50, magnets 20', and back to the source through the wires 51 and 52. This energization of the magnets 20 will cause the armatures 24 to be attracted toward the magnet cores, pulling upon the rods 31 and rotating the gears 15 through a small arc. This movement is amplified and transmitted to the shafts 10 and arrows 11 through the pinion 12, causing the arrows to be rotated to the left through an arc of ninety degrees and to point to the legend L.

if it is desired to signal an intention to stop, the driver will more the switch arm lO into contact with the button l2, whereupon current will flow from the source l6, through the wire l'i, arm lO, button d2, wire 49, through the magnets 19 and back to the source through the wires 51 and 52. The consequent energization of the magnets 19 will cause the armatures 23 to be attracted, resulting in a partial rotation of the gears 15 through the medium of the rods 28. As these armatures 23 have twice the play of the other a'rmatures, the gears 15 will be moved through such an are that the arrows will be swung through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees, pointing straight upward to the legend S.

When the signal is used at night, the into engagement with the contact button d5. his will not result in lighting the lamps 37 until the switch arm l-O is engaged with either of its assooiated contact buttons Wish the switch arm lO is then contacted with any one of the buttons 41, s2 or t3, the current after passing through the associated magnets will divide, a portion returning through the wires 51 and 52 to source, and the remainder passing through the lamps 37, wires 55, frames 14, contacts 36, contacts 84, Wires .53, wires 54, switch arm 44, contact button 45, wires 56, and wire 52 back'to the source, it being ofcourse understood that resistance commensurate with the resistance of the lamps must be interposed in the wire 52 between the wires 51 and 54. This will result in energization of the lamps simultaneously with the givin of the signal.

From the oregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have thus provided a comparatively simple, compact, responsive and highly eflicient signal for motor vehicles, which will be effective in promoting safety even in crowded traflic.

It will be readily understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact specificdetails of construction shown and described, as I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will come within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a member revolubly mounted therein, an indicator movable with said member, a plurality of electro-magnets in said casing, swinging armatures individually associated with said magnets, and means connected individually with said armatures and different points at the periphery of said member and a control switch, said magnets and said switch being included in a circuit including a source of current.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a shaft journaled therein, an indicator secured on said shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a gear meshing with said pinion, a plurality of electro-magnets in said casing, swinging armatures adapted to be acted upon by'said magnets, rods connected with said armatures and connected with said gear at different points adjacent the periphery thereof, a switch arm, and a plurality of contact buttons engageable by said arm, said magnets, arm and contact buttons being included in a circuit including a source of current.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a dial therein, a shaft revoluble in said casing, an indicator on said shaft traveling over said dial, and means for turning said shaft to rotate said indithereby, a rod connected with each armature, a gear connected with said shaft, pins extending from said gear and engaged by said rods, a switch arm, and a plurality of contact buttons corresponding to the number of magnets, said magnets, switch arm and contact-:buttons being included in a circuit including a source of current.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a dial therein, a shaft journaled in said casing, an indicator secured upon said shaft and adapted to travel over said dial, a pinion on said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said casing, a gear on said second shaft meshing with said pin ion, pins extending from said gear, and means for moving said indicator through selected arcs over said dial comprising an electro-magnet for each arc, armatures associated with said magnets and adapted to be moved thereby, rods pivotally connected with said armatures and slidably connected with said pins, a switch arm, and a plurality of contact buttons corresponding in number to the magnets and adapted to be engaged by said switch arm, said magnets, switch arm and contact buttons being included in a circuit including a source of current.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a shaft revoluble in said casing, an indicator on said shaft adapted to be moved through selected arcs, electromagnets in said casing corresponding in number to thenumber of arcs, armatures associated with said magnets, a second shaft journaledjn said casing, a gear on said second named shaft, a pinion on said first named shaft meshing with said gear,

members pivotally connected with said armatures and individually pivotally connected to the periphery of said gear, a switch arm and a plurality of contact uttons associated with said magnets, an incandescent lamp in said casing, and a secondswitch arm and contact button associated with said lamp, said lamp, said switch arms and contact buttons, and said magnets being included in a circuit together with a source of current.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

JOHN F. OMALLEY. 

